The coalition of groups claims the navy's use of "active sonar" to detect submarines and other underwater objects in areas inhabited by protected marine creatures violates the US law.

The sonar works by flooding large areas of the ocean with loud bursts of sound, which researchers say has caused hearing loss and organ damage in whales and can harm other marine mammals.

"There is no serious scientific dispute that the mid-frequency active sonar systems used by the navy can kill, injure and disturb marine mammals," stated the suit, which is supported by former James Bond star Pierce Brosnan.

"The available scientific data also strongly suggest a long-standing correlation between naval exercises and the mass stranding of beaked whales, going back decades," added the complaint filed in Los Angeles.

The plaintiffs, including the Natural Resources Defense Council and famed French oceanographer Jacques Cousteau's son, Jean-Michel Cousteau, are challenging the use of active sonar that uses mid-range sonic frequencies.

They accuse the navy of violating the National Environmental Policy Act, which requires the preparation of an environmental assessment report for major government actions that have an impact on the environment.

The groups also accuse the navy of flouting the Endangered Species Act, which orders the government to ensure that its actions do not jeopardize any endangered species, as well as the Marine Mammal Protection Act, which makes it a crime to disturb marine mammals.

A Navy representative could not immediately be reached to comment on the lawsuit.

In addition to seeking environmental analysis of the mid-frequency sonar's use, the plaintiffs seek to force the navy to take precautions, such as avoiding important whale habitat when testing or training with the sonar.

"This is not a question of environment versus national security," Joel Reynolds, a lawyer for Natural Resources Defense Council, told reporters.

"We can have both and we must have both because that's what the law requires."

The lawsuit follows a similar complaint over lower-frequency sonar that was settled two years ago.

The environmentalists acknowledge that not much is publicly known about the high-intensity sonar systems, which are used by navies across the world.

But they said in their suit that the sonar was capable of generating up to 215 decibels.

In 2000, seven whales were found dead on a beach and others were stranded in the Bahamas after the US Navy allegedly used sonar reported to have exceeded a whopping 235 decibels, the groups say.

Since then, the US Navy has continued using the sonar, including on a training mission off the coast of the eastern state of North Carolina in January that took place in waters inhabited by endangered or threatened species, the suit said.

In addition to harming whales, such mid-frequency sonar has also been shown to harm dolphins, and may also harm turtles, fish and other marine life, according to the groups.

"Military sonar generates ear-splitting noise that can injure and even kill marine mammals," said Brosnan in a video made for one of the groups that brought the suit.

"Without reasonable limits, military sonar will cause excruciating pain and death," said Brosnan who was last week replaced as secret agent 007 in the famed movie series.

All rights reserved. � 2005 Agence France-Presse. Sections of the information displayed on this page (dispatches, photographs, logos) are protected by intellectual property rights owned by Agence France-Presse. As a consequence, you may not copy, reproduce, modify, transmit, publish, display or in any way commercially exploit any of the content of this section without the prior written consent of Agence France-Presse.

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